By Helen Cartlidge
After seeing my sister go from a very recreational and unmotivated runner to someone who raved on about the benefits of track sessions and started running 1 minute per mile faster in training, I decided to spend all my “understanding wife” brownie points accrued from my husband’s ski/golf/stag breaks and went on a training holiday.
(I promise, this was arranged before the official strider’s trip was even mentioned)
When the first run of the holiday was a muddy, stony, undulating, woodland track 15 miler, I wondered if I would survive the week. But it is surprising what peer pressure can do. Having found a few people of similar pace to me, we chatted our way round and got to know each other by the end of the run.
The hardest day was Tuesday, which started with a 10k run in the morning. This consisted of 4k uphill on a muddy coastal path accumulating about half my bodyweight in mud on the bottom of my trainers, then about 1k on the footpath, some nice downhill road through a golf course, finishing with what coach Neil described as "a little surprise", but to the untrained eye it looked like a mean hill!
This was in preparation for the afternoon run which was a 3.5k road run up a mountain. Running and breathing at the same time was almost impossible but it was an achievement, and a relief to see the guys at the top even if they looked like they had barely broken sweat.
I also ran on the beach for the first time and ran twice a day for the first time. Major respect to all you hardcore 70+mile/week people and triathletes: I could only do it if the only other thing to do were to eat and chill out!
Coaches Graeme and Neil have set up the holiday to cater for, and encourage, all abilities from those aiming for sub 3 hour marathons to 5 hour+ marathons.
Some of the runs were laps. The coaches had run ahead and marked out the route with cones and some had coffee/drink stops to re-group. Others were 15 min out and back down to the beach. So theoretically everyone would finish together. The scenery was amazing and the programme included woodland, beach, coastal paths, road and track so no two runs were the same.
In between running there were optional swim and bike sessions, but there was lots of space to hang around, sunbathe and make new friends.
There were some memorable debates including the best way to cook an omelette and "would you rather run a great marathon time wearing red speedos and a tucked in t-shirt or a more modest time in your own kit?" (not my question by the way!!!)
If you like boot camp style holidays with early wake ups, strict schedules, brown rice, aloe vera juice and alfalfa sprouts don't go on this holiday. If you like ensuite accommodation, orchards in the garden, the option of a duvet day (...yes,really!) diet coke and superbok in the fridge AND great run/tri training with mega-fit coaches you will love it!
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